Most teens experiment with drugs and alcohol, but some,
especially those vulnerable to addiction, fall into trouble in a hurry.

And to make matters worse, for developmental reasons,
adolescents rarely admit to addiction and almost never seek help on their own.

It’s up to parents to intervene and according to the National
Institute on Drug Addiction, the earlier you intervene the better.

Drug and alcohol abuse does greater brain damage to teens
than adults.

Teens who develop early substance use disorders are more
likely to struggle with lifelong addiction challenges.

Teens who abuse drugs and alcohol during adolescence may not
complete all the necessary developmental tasks of this life-stage.

Early drug and alcohol abuse can cause social, legal and
academic problems and lifelong consequences.

So if an adolescent you love abuses drugs or alcohol, and
you can’t get them to stop, you need to intervene quickly and find appropriate
professional help.

Note – treatment doesn’t always – or even usually – mean
rehab. In most cases, adolescent treatment occurs on an outpatient basis, with
the teen client staying at home, with family.

Finding Quality Treatment

Beyond timely intervention, you also need to make sure you
find quality adolescent-specific treatment.

Teens aren’t just mini-adults and treatment that works for
adults won’t necessarily resonate with adolescents. You need to find an
adolescent-specific program that’s designed to keep teens engaged in the
process, that helps them self-recognize the problem and its consequences and
that teaches them the essential skills they’ll need to survive, and thrive, as
they grow into adulthood.

If early life or more recent traumatic experiences
contribute to the problem, you also need to find trauma-sensitive care in a
safe and supportive environment – confrontational or boot-camp style programs
can actually worsen your child’s problems.

Make contact today to
learn more about teen-specific treatment and take a first step now to
helping your son or daughter escape the devastating negatives of drug or alcohol abuse
and addiction.